Considerations in Travelling Off-Season – Save Money vs Authentic Experiences
2 March, 2015The winter is coming to an end, leaving way for the spring – one of the most beautiful seasons of them all. Days are getting warmer, but not warm enough yet for spending time at the beach, though. This is why the official tourist season starts later – in May, or even June, depending on the climate of the area. And while tourists are not flocking to the beaches and resorts at this time, spring is the perfect season for grabbing some incredible travel and lodging deals.
Before you make up your mind on your next destination, consider a few things other than just the special offers available at hotels and resorts. When off season, you will likely find special offers on lodging, activity packs, museum tickets and the likes, but things like food will cost you the same amount. When traveling off-season you will also avoid certain types of travelers – this is an unexpected benefit, which can assure you a good night’s sleep. Keep in mind, though, that the tourist season usually coincides with holidays and school vacations – so traveling off-season can mess up your kids’ school schedule.
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Also make sure you do your homework before leaving on a trip – check out the weather conditions, the events to attend, and other similar factors. Leaving on a trip to Asia, for example, during the rainy season means that you might spend more time in your hotel room playing at Platinum Play online casinos instead of seeing the sights of the city – which is nice, but you don’t need to travel half across the world to do it. Also, if the destination you have chosen has a history of harsh weather conditions, make sure you can even get there. Leaving for the Ice Hotel in Sweden during a massive snow storm is a turnoff for most of us.
Traveling off-season usually means that you save on a variety of things – airfare, hotel rates, and so on. The money you save on these can be used up to benefit of better services or products somewhere else. The bucks you save on the hotel room with free WiFi and minibar included can be used to treat yourself with a nice dinner at a five-star restaurant, or visit all the attractions you otherwise couldn’t afford – or souvenirs other than the cheap, dime-a-dozen stuff tourists are usually offered during the high season.
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And to conclude, here is one for those in search for authentic experiences. The tourist season usually means that locals act as they are expected, and they often overact – they focus on the appealing part of the local life, which does not necessarily reflect their real one. Traveling off-season can help you explore the local reality, wherever you go, without being under constant pressure by the hosts of visitors looking for cheap memories.
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